Graduate Management Aptitude Test, popularly known as GMAT, is an international test. The test assesses a candidate’s aptitude for admission to postgraduate management courses.

GMAT scores are required or accepted by over 1600 business schools across the world. Clearly, GMAT can open your doors for quality MBA education in almost any country of your choice.

As the exam is conducted at global level, the competition is obviously high, if not severe. So the best strategy to an excellent GMAT score is gearing up right off the bat.

Read on to know more about the exam.

What is The Exam Pattern for GMAT?

Subject	Duration	No. of Questions
Analytical Writing Assessment	30 minutes	1 topic
Integrated Reasoning	30 minutes	12
Quantitative	75 minutes	37
Verbal	75 minutes	41

How Many Times Can One Take The GMAT Exam?

GMAT can be taken once in a gap of 16 days. However, the total number of tests taken in a year cannot exceed 5.

The registration for GMAT goes on throughout the year. Also, candidates can choose any exam date as per their convenience. You can register for the exam here.

Validity of GMAT Scores

GMAT scores are valid for a period of 5 years.

Now let’s check out these clever tips on how to prepare for GMAT:

• Join a GMAT Discussion Forum

GMAT Discussion Forums? Yes.

GMAT discussion forums are the online communities solely dedicated to serve GMAT aspirants.

They are like your virtual study group, only better. At these forums, you can seek help concerning any problem that you come across during your preparations. You can ask people to share their strategies to solve particular problems. You can also answer the queries of others by sharing your knowledge about the topic.

Many of the discussion groups also offer free consultation. Gmatclub and Beatthegmat are some of the most preferred ones.

• Start Your Preparation by Taking A Practice Test

Start your preparation by attempting a practice test.

It will help you get familiar with the paper pattern. The only way to understand the paper pattern better is by attempting mocks or previous year papers.

Once you are aware of the type of questions that are asked from various topics and which topics weigh the highest and lowest, you can devise your preparation strategy accordingly.

Let’s see how you can get better at GMAT verbal section:

• Know Your Weak Areas and Work on Them

Be aware of your weak areas from the on set. It is the first step towards forming a firm preparation strategy.

Some people are excellent at Quantitative Aptitude while Verbal gives them the jitters. The case is totally the opposite with some others.

Knowing about your strong and weak areas will help you decide the time that you should devote to each topic.

For instance, if you are already able to get 80% of the Quant questions right, there is no need to spend much time on it. Because even after spending hours, you will only realize a growth of 10-20% in your overall performance. You should focus more of your time on the subjects and topics where the scope for growth is much wider.

• Take Mock Tests at Regular Intervals

This one is a must for each one of you. In fact, attempting mock tests at regular intervals is a must, no matter which competitive exam you are planning to attempt.

You might know everything, but if you are not familiar with the exam-hall stress, your hours of preparations might end in fumes.

Besides, attempting practice tests helps you assess your growth. When you see your marks gradually increasing over time, it gives you the confidence and motivation to practice more rigorously.

A number of websites offer GMAT online practice tests. Some of the best are:

• Kaplan
• Princeton Review
• Mba.com

Though there are many other websites offering GMAT online practice tests, these three are the most preferred by test takers.

• Set Short-term Goals

If you are serious about cracking GMAT, have a long term plan divided into many short-term goals. Have a plan for every week.

Make it a point to attempt one full-length GMAT paper on every weekend. Evaluate your progress and also modify your studying strategy if you are not able to get the desired results.

• Benefit from On the Go Learning

For a competitive exam like GMAT, every minute’s preparation counts.

And if you are someone who has to spend hours in commuting to and fro your college, office, or coaching classes, on the go learning is for people like you.

Download any of the following popular GMAT preparation apps and make the most of your time:

• GMAT Math Flashcards
• GMAT Idiom Flashcards
• GMAT Flashcards by Kaplan
• Manhattan GMAT Flashcards
• Veritas GMAT Question Bank
• Veritas GMAT Prep Course

• Chalk Out Your Unique Preparation Strategy

Each individual possesses a unique skill set. Not all can benefit from following the same strategies.

While some can concentrate best during the quiet hours of night, some others find their minds to be the most productive during early morning.

It is always a great idea to learn what worked for the top rankers. But to get the best results, you need to form an eclectic plan.

Know what time suits you the best, whether you can sit and study on a loop or you are the more productive while taking frequent breaks.

Also, there is no need to stick to the initially formed plan till the last day of your preparation. Take the liberty of revising your plan as per the experiences. However, just make sure that these revisions are not too frequent.

If you stick to the above strategies and devote a reasonable time every day, GMAT is not such a hard nut to crack. And to contradict my last statement, taking the exam lightly would be a mistake that you do not wish to make.

GMAT has the power to shape your career in a great way. So, when are you taking the next GMAT preparation test?

Before signing off, here is a video of the GMAT top rankers sharing their experiences through GMAT preparation: